Dallas Baby Camp

BY THE MIDDLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, MEDICINE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS DEVELOPING; HOWEVER, THE FIELD OF PEDIATRICS LAGGED BEHIND. IN 1872, TEXAS PASSED A STATE MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT BUT FAILED TO MENTION THE PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY. AS LATE AS 1885, DALLAS’ ONLY PUBLIC HOSPITAL FACILITY WAS A SMALL FRAME BUILDING ON LAMAR STREET, KNOWN AS CITY HOSPITAL. BY 1897, REVEREND R.C. BUCKNER ESTABLISHED A PRIVATE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL DEDICATED SOLELY TO THE CARE OF CHILDREN IN ASSOCIATION WITH BUCKNER’S ORPHAN HOME IN DALLAS BUT HAD TO CLOSE SOON AFTER FOR FINANCIAL REASONS. FROM 1904 TO 1913, MAY FORSTER SMITH, A PRIVATE-DUTY NURSE, WORKED AT AREA HOSPITALS. SEEING THE PLIGHT OF POOR INFANTS SUFFERING FROM DEHYDRATION AND OTHER MALADIES, MAY INVITED HER FELLOW NURSES TO A MEETING TO IDENTIFY A SOLUTION. SMITH AND HER COLLEAGUES CONVINCED THE DALLAS GRADUATE NURSES ASSOCIATION IN 1913 TO ENDORSE AND FORM A BABY CAMP TO TREAT SMALL INFANTS.

THE FIRST BABY CAMP IN THE SOUTHWEST AND THIRD IN THE COUNTRY OPENED ON APRIL 6, 1913 ON THE CAMPUS OF THE PARKLAND HOSPITAL AND WAS ORIGINALLY HOUSED IN FOUR TENTS SUPPLIED BY THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. THE CITY’S LEADERSHIP QUICKLY REALIZED THE CONTINUED NEED FOR THE CAMP AND RELOCATED THE FACILITIES IN 1914 TO A SMALL COTTAGE ON THE HOSPITAL GROUNDS. DUE TO THE GENEROSITY OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, THE CAMP CONTINUED TO PROVIDE CARE TO INFANTS AND EDUCATE NEW MOTHERS IN INFANT CARE. IN 1929, T. L. BRADFORD DONATED THE FUNDS TO BUILD A LARGER FACILITY ON MAPLE AVENUE. IN 1947, THE BABY CAMP, BRADFORD HOSPITAL, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, AND FREEMAN CLINIC CAME TOGETHER AS CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER OF DALLAS, ONE OF THE LARGEST PEDIATRIC PROVIDERS IN THE NATION.